Suffolk Arson Investigating Fire Island Pines Blaze: Police

FIRE ISLAND PINES, NY — Suffolk Arson Squad detectives are investigating a late-night blaze that broke out at a Fire Island Pines home on Saturday, a police spokesperson said.

Dozens of firefighters from at least seven different departments, including some from the mainland, responded to the blaze, the Fire Island Property Owners Association said in a Facebook post.

It broke out at around midnight on the south side of Fire Island Boulevard between Driftwood and Coast Guard Walks, drawing local firefighters from the Fire Island Pines Fire Department, as well as Cherry Grove, Point O' Woods, Ocean Bay Park, Ocean Beach, Saltaire, Kismet, and several off-island communities, the association said.

No one was injured in the fire, according to police.

The cause of the fire has been ruled undetermined, the Town of Brookhaven Fire Marshal's office said.

The flames were successfully extinguished, but the home suffered severe damage and some adjoining homes were damaged, according to the association.

"Our heartfelt thanks go out to all of the first responders and other volunteers, who were able to prevent the fire from spreading further to nearby properties," the association said.

Its members' "thoughts" are with their new neighbor, the owner of the home who had just closed on the property 11 days before, according to the association.

Real estate agent Vincent Petrarca told Newsday the house sold for more than $1 million to a client who got out safely with his parents, adding, "It’s destroyed. It’s like a bomb went off."

Electrical power was cut for 672 customers for about 2 ½ hours while firefighters battled the blaze, Elizabeth Flager of PSEG Long Island told the outlet.

"Along with the recent fires in Sayville and Westhampton Beach, this fire, which destroyed our neighbor's home is a stark reminder that we must always be mindful of potential fire hazards," the association's post continued. "This is particularly critical in light of the recent extremely dry conditions in the area."

"Once again, our deepest thanks and appreciation to the Fire Island Pines Fire Department and the first responders from all of our neighboring communities for their herculean efforts on Saturday night and for being there all year round to keep our communities safe," the post concluded.